‘Ridgewood Cherry’ cultivar

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of sweet cherry tree,  Prunus avium , originating as a hybrid seedling of the cross: ‘Starks Gold’ (unpatented)×‘Stella’ (unpatented). This new variety is unique from its parents and other sweet cherries varieties because it is late blooming, dark skinned, dark fleshed, and is self-fertile.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

A new and distinct variety of sweet cherry tree originated as a seedlingof Prunus avium in the breeding program of Cornell University and ishereinafter referred to as ‘Ridgewood’ sweet cherry. This new variety isunique because this is the latest blooming self-fertile sweet cherrythat has been made available to the commercial nursery industry of theUnited States of America. The flowers are frost tolerant due to bothgenetic resistance and evasion of frost due to late bloom time; and thefruit is acceptable for fresh market uses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This new and distinct variety of sweet cherry was discovered in 1984 byRoger D. Way (retired), a plant breeder at the New York StateAgricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, N.Y., a research unit ofCornell University, hereinafter referred to as Geneva ExperimentStation. By breeding methodology convention at the Geneva ExperimentStation it was designated as NY 13791. This selection was initiallyassigned Experiment Station Breeding Record Number 75.306, a hybridpopulation of trees that resulted from hybridizing the varieties ‘StarksGold’ (unpatented×‘Stella’ (unpatented) in 1975, and this seedling wasdesignated as NY 13791 when it was planted in 1976 as part of apopulation of 433 siblings possessing the same parentage. The orchardlocation where the seedling was grown and first noticed was designatedas Crittenden Farm, Field Number 30, Row 6, Tree 046. This seedling wasfirst noticed because in 1985 Cornell scientists purposely baggedbranches to isolate the flowers from pollinating insect visits and itcropped heavily inside the bag, proving that it was self-fertile; andthe fruit were tolerant to rain cracking and rated as being equal infresh market value to those of the ‘Summitt’ (unpatented) variety. Thenew variety has been propagated near Geneva, N.Y. on Mazzard seedling(unpatented), Mahaleb seedling (unpatented), ‘Gisela 6’ (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 8,954), ‘M×M 2’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,194) and ‘M×M 60’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 8,132) rootstocks and remains true to the description herein.

The new variety differs from the parents in that it has dark reddishblack skin and flesh in contrast to ‘Starks Gold’ (unpatented) which haslight yellow flesh and yellow and red skin. The new variety differs from‘Stella’ (unpatented) in that ‘Ridgewood’ has a late mid season ripeningtime and is very cold hardy and frost resistant whereas ‘Stella’(unpatented) ripens in early mid season and is very cold and frosttender.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the new varietyas depicted in color as nearly true as is reasonably possible in colorillustrations of this character. These specimens were obtained at theGeneva Experiment Station, Geneva, New York.

FIG. 1. illustrates the intact fruit and foliage of the new variety atmaturity.

FIG. 2. illustrates the blossoms of the new variety.

A BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

A detailed description of the ‘Ridgewood cherry’ cultivar follows usingThe Royal Horticultural Society of London Colour Chart for coloridentification except where general color terms are sufficient.

-   Parentage: A hybrid seedling of the cross: ‘Starks Gold’    (unpatented)×‘Stella’ (unpatented). Locality of the original    discovery and observations is the Crittenden Farm Research Orchard    Number 30, Row 6, tree 046 (assigned the designation NY 13791),    Geneva Experiment Station, Geneva, N.Y., U.S.A.-   Tree:    -   -   Age of specimen.—25 years old.        -   Height.—4.5 M.        -   Width.—4.5 M.        -   Size.—73 cm in diameter at 100 cm above ground level.        -   Vigor.—Medium.        -   Density.—Medium.        -   Form.—Spreading, laterals are pendant to about the same            degree as ‘Starks Gold’ (unpatented), the female parent of            the new variety.        -   Production.—Heavy, 200 to 250 pounds per season per tree on            seedling rootstocks.        -   Bearing.—Annual on spurs and on 2 to 4 bud positions located            at the base of one year old shoots.        -   Disease resistance.—Similar to ‘Stella’ (unpatented) in            tolerance to brown rot fungus of the blossoms and fruit            (rated 6 at Geneva on scale of 1, as worst, to 9, as best);            also similar to ‘Stella’ (unpatented) in tolerance to            bacterial canker of the tree and fruit (rated 6 at Geneva on            scale of 1, as worst, to 9 as best); highly tolerant of            black knot fungus of the wood.        -   Cold hardiness.—Good, crops regularly in test orchards in            commercial fruit districts of New York and Michigan.        -   Frost tolerance.—Excellent (rated 8 at Geneva on scale of 1,            as worst, to 9, as best).        -   Graft compatibility.—Good, produces compatible graft unions            with Mazzard (unpatented) seedling, Mahaleb seedling            (unpatented), ‘Gisela 6’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,954), ‘M×M            2’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,194) and ‘M×M 60’ (U.S. Plant Pat.            No. 8,132) cherry rootstocks.-   Trunk:    -   -   Size.—70 cm in diameter at 100 cm above ground level.        -   Surface.—Bark is smooth with prominent lenticels.        -   Bark color.—Grayed Purple 183 A where directly exposed to            the sun.        -   Lenticels.—Grayed Orange 167 A, varying in length from 1.5            to 5.0 cm and width from 0.3 to 0.7 cm, prominent,            horizontal, elliptical.-   Branches:    -   -   1 year old branches.—Average length 42 cm, width 4 cm,            internode distance 35 cm, color Grayed Orange 166c.        -   2 year old branches—Average length 45 cm, width 6 cm,            internode distance 32 cm, color Grayed Orange 166A.        -   Lenticils.—Few, scattered, color Grayed Yellow 161C.-   Vegetative buds:    -   -   Placement.—At bud positions 4 and higher numbered from the            base of new growth, and at tip of each fruit spur.        -   Appearance.—Pointed and flatter than flower buds on previous            season's annual growth of shoots.        -   Color.—Yellow Green 144 D.-   Leaves:    -   -   Size.—9.0 to 11.5 cm in length, 5.5 to 6.5 cm in width with.        -   Form.—Symmetrical halves on both sides of central axis.        -   Thickness.—Medium.        -   Texture.—Crisp, leathery.        -   Pubescence.—None on either surface.        -   Margin.—Serrations regular and bluntly pointed.        -   Adaxile surface.—Green 137A.        -   Abaxile surface.—Yellow Green 148C.        -   Veination.—Pinnate.        -   Vein color.—Adaxial Yellow Green 144 D, abaxial Yellow Green            144 B.        -   Petiole.—6.0 to 6.5 cm in length.        -   Petiole color.—Red Purple 59 A.        -   Petiole groove.—Narrow.        -   Glands.—1 to 2 on petiole, bluntly globose, length 1.5 to            1.75 mm, width 1 to 1.25 mm, color Orange 28 A.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Size.—Length 12 cm, width 5 cm.        -   Form.—Elongated oval.        -   Color.—Green 143B.        -   Peduncle.—Length 4.8 to 5.25 mm, width 0.4 mm, Green 143 B.        -   Number of buds per spur.—3 to 7, average of 5.-   Flowers:    -   -   Blooming period.—Late, May 1 to May 5 in Geneva, N.Y.        -   Presentation.—Non-showy white.        -   Fragrance.—Sweet, flowery.        -   Fertility.—Self-fertile.        -   Pollen.—Present, plentiful, good pollen source for            pollenizing all other sweet cherries that bloom at the            late-season sequence, color Yellow 13A.        -   Corolla diameter.—32 mm.        -   Number of flowers per cluster.—5 to 9.        -   Petals.—Single, round, length 10 mm, width 10 mm, 5 in            number, slightly overlapping, margin slightly ruffled, soft            texture, White 155D.        -   Peduncle.—Length 4.8 to 5.25 mm, width 0.4 mm, Green 143 B.        -   Filament.—Length 8 mm, width 0.1 mm, White 155 D.        -   Anther.—Profuse pollen, Yellow 13 A.        -   Sepals.—5 in number, Green 143 B, bluntly ovate in shape.-   Fruit:    -   -   Maturity when described.—Commercial ripeness, 17 degrees            brix.        -   Date of first picking.—Mid-late season ripening, July 10th            to July 15 at Geneva, N.Y.        -   Size.—Weight 9 g, length 3.0 cm, width 2.8 cm.        -   Form.—Round-oblong appearance; fruit tapers from widest            dimension on cheeks toward stigmatic scar and gives the            appearance of slightly heart shape.        -   Stem cavity.—Wide, not prone to concentric cracks from rain            settling in the cavity.        -   Stem.—Length 38 mm, width 1.5 mm, color Green 143B.-   Skin:    -   -   Thickness.—Medium.        -   Tendency to crack.—Similar to Stella, rated as 7 at Geneva            (1, worst to 9 best); may split on shoulders in high            rainfall seasons.        -   Color.—Grayed Purple 187B.        -   Flavor.—Good.-   Flesh:    -   -   Texture.—Medium firm, rated as 6 at Geneva (1, worst to 9            best).        -   Acidity.—Medium high until sugar level gets to above 15            degrees brix.        -   Flavor.—Good.        -   Aroma.—Present, pleasing.        -   Color.—Grayed Purple 187D.        -   Coloration in the pit cavity.—Same as flesh.        -   Juice.—Abundant, sweet.        -   Eating quality.—Good when mature to above 16 degrees brix,            slightly acid if eaten when immature.-   Stone:    -   -   Size.—1.5 cm in length, 1.25 cm in width at widest point            near the center, 0.75 cm in width at widest point of the            flatter direction.        -   Form.—Slightly oblong.        -   Sides.—Ridges, 3 to 5 in number, with varying amounts of            encircling the suture side of the pit.        -   Type.—Freestone at commercial maturity.        -   Tendency to crack.—Non-existent.-   Use: Fresh market; may become popular for commercial orchardists to    use as pollenizer because it is universally compatible with all    other sweet cherry varieties and has a uniquely late bloom time    which matches that of several important new sweet cherry varieties    that are entering commerce in the United States of America which    require cross pollinization. May become popular for home orchards if    lawn/garden space is limited because its self-fertile trait allows    successful cultivation of just one sweet cherry tree and ‘Ridgewood’    is both frost tolerant and self-fertile.

1. A new and distinct variety of sweet cherry tree, named Ridgewood,substantially as herein shown and described, characterized as to noveltyby the unique combination of late emerging, self-fertile flowers andgood frost hardiness of the flower buds and possessing, fresh market,eating quality, and shipping/handling attributes that meet gradestandards for this fruit.